Robert H McCard (DD 822) - Naval Cruise Book

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TWO Block C Division ss. if Q fx The Electronics Technicians are responsible 5 for the repair of all electronics equipment. is a tremendously complicated- and very diiculti job. It's so complicated and difficult that no one else has the slightest idea what they' re doing. Radio Central functions as the ears of the McCard with the operators copying broad- casts in plain language and code and routing the dispatches to all officers concerned. From the first day the cruise started the Radio Shack was almost snowed under with traffic for both the ship and the Flag and every operator who could copy the Navy Fox broadcasts was listening in on one of the circuits. Up on the Bridge the Quartermasters keep a sharp watch out for light and Hag signals. The signalmen keep a sharp eye on every ship in the formation and must be alert to hoist or blinker an answer. iveaver, Oglesbee, and Barnes are responsible for training their sections as well as maintaining the charts on which the Navigator and Chief Dunderdale fix the ship's position at all times. The Sonarmen of the McCard are the ship's underwater eyes and without them the ship would be useless. They can pick up a submerged submarine a mile away and direct the ship on a depth charge run over the contact. The Ping jockiesn must also be able to tell the difference between a submarine and a school of fish or a whale which return just about the same sort of sonar echo. The words Navy and paperwork are synonymous to at least one group on the ship -our yeomen and pelsonnelmen in the Ship's Oliice. At any hour of the day or night they can be seen typing forms and letters, filing instruc- tions. or answering questions on anything from schools to leave chits. No one can understand just how seven people manage to work in one tiny office but with Patton cracking the whip they're able to keep everything running smooth- ly. -A .

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ATI NS The Operations Department headed by Lt. XYilliain Hess, can truthfully be called the nerve center of the McCard. The Operators main job is underway watch standing during which they are essential to the tactical operation of the ship. IVhen things happen fast the men of the Operations Department must be highly trained, alert, and cool under pressure-and they are responsible for the use and care of more than a million dollars worth of highly complicated electronic equipment. On our Med cruise the Combat Informa- tion Center was probably the busiest space on the ship. Besides the CIC IfVatch Officer, the XVatch Supervisor, and the radarmen and yeo- men there was a Staff WVatch Officer who had to be assisted by the McCard's CIC personnel. All hands in CIC had to be alert to listen for messages on Eve voice radio circuits as well as supplying tactical and radar information to the OOD. DuIl'y, Gower, and Peters did a hne job in breaking in all the new strikers and very shortly each watch section was a team which could handle even the most complicated situa- tion in a topnotch manner. N, : O Division g mcfwaf 5 'i 'l- if-W 1 AW F 'ffl f figs, , i K 1 ' 2 Q An ideal Radarman 99 Course. Speed,

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fi L V I . .puma . ---nw .a E nu-wa your of --gps -u --nw nm. SUPPLY Every Department does something to con- tribute to the general welfare and comfort of the crew but there is only one group which has the comfort of the ship's company as it's primary job. The Supply Department under Lt George H. VVebb works 24 hours a day to fur- nish us with everything from the tools we work with to the cigarettes we smoke. First, and certainly most important, is the job the Suppliers do in operating the General Mess. X-Vith. the limited galley space available our cooks, bakers, and stewards mates have done an outstanding job in keeping the officers and men well fed. A balanced menu is put out every week by Chief Davidson for the General Mess and it's tough work to serve twenty-one meals a week which are both nutritious and pleasing to the crew. Another group of Suppliers who spend a lot of time worrying about meals are McClarin and his stewards mates who are also respon- sible for taking care of the Wardroom and Ofiicer's Country. The Officers chow is good but there's one drawback-they have to pay for it. Running a close second in importance with chow is our pay. Our DK's Noaker and VVallace, are the best loved men on the ship. But be- sides figuring our pay the men in the Supply Ofhce keep busy paying bills, registering allot- ments, and answering a hundred and one ques- tions on longevity, insurance, and dependents benefits. The Storekeepers spend most of their time battling the Navy supply system to keep the ship stocked with everything we need to keep operating. Another big job they have is arranging with the people on the beach to de- liver stores at just the WRONG time. They always manage to bring stores out to the ship just as liberty is scheduled to commence or just at chowtime. In a tiny compartment off the midships gpassageway our laundrymen work to wash the g 'ff' This won't hurt a bit. T fl C...r .Now dinner Morgan and Grillo 'G- i 5